Governor’s Schools

Q. Can homeschooled students participate in Governor’s Schools and if so, who pays?

A. Gifted public school, private school, and homeschooled students can apply for residential Governor’s Schools held during the summer months. The application process should begin in early October for the following summer.

According to the “2013 Summer Residential Governor’s Schools (SRGS) General Information for Students and Parents,” interested students should submit an application to the principal of the public high school in their attendance zone. A homeschool application becomes part of the school division’s application and screening process. The division superintendent must nominate the homeschooled student from the applications he receives from public, private, and other homeschooled students.

Each school division determines its own policies and procedures regarding tuition payments for homeschooled students—some divisions may agree to cover the cost, but others will not. The state pays half the tuition through a General Assembly fund. The residential facility, a college, or a foundation may also contribute to the fees. The remaining fees are paid through various means: public school student fees are paid by the public school; private school student fees are paid by the private school; and homeschooled student fees are usually paid by the parent. Depending on the particular type of Governor’s School, the cost for a homeschooled parent may be $1,000 or more.

The final selection is made by the Department of Education and is based on the strength of the application, school division/private school region ranking, and needs of the program. No individual nominee is guaranteed acceptance.